OUSD has vacancy after election snafu

OAKLAND, Calif. - One day after Oakland Unified school board member Nick Resnick resigned following an election snafu, the board is looking at the next step – to fill his vacant seat. 

Resnick was declared the winner of the election in November but stepped down after an error in rank-choice voting showed Mike Hutchinson actually won the race.

"I recognize I can continue to contest this election for months and that for months we can spend precious public funds on a legal process and have uncertainty about who is ultimately going to occupy this seat," Resnick said in a post on the website he stood up before the election. 
 

"At this time, I don't think that is what's best for this community and I don't think that's going to help get our schools where they need to go," he said. "Instead I am making the choice to congratulate my opponent and share that I will no longer be opposing the election contest."

Hutchinson and Resnick had both been serving on the school board during the dispute.

However, Resnick can't just fill the seat now, because the election was already certified.

The board has 60 days to decide how to fill the vacancy, either by appointment or by calling a special election.